Assateague Island National Seashore · MD
Life of the Forest Trail
Half-mile self-guiding loop through maritime loblolly-pine forest that opens onto a boardwalk with viewing platforms over the salt marsh and Sinepuxent Bay.
Live · updated
Today
Skip the hiking plan today.
Today's best: hiking
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
Skip the hiking plan today.
Trail running
Skip the trail running plan today.
Dog walking
Thunderstorms in today's forecast — dogs panic and trails become dangerous.
Score breakdown
- · 77°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
- − 16 mph wind — Gusty — bring a windbreaker
- − Thunderstorms — Get off exposed ridges before they arrive
- ✓ Trail: prime — Paved/boardwalk surface — rainfall does not affect traction.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 0.5 mi
- Elevation gain
- 2 ft
- Surface
- boardwalk
- Difficulty
- easy
Trailhead
Coordinates
38.1980, -75.1592 — MD.
Park
Part of Assateague Island National Seashore (official site →).
Park advisories
6/8/26 MD open to State Line. VA South OSV fully closed. The VA North OSV fishing mile is open to 12 vehicles.
Effective 4/2/26: The closure includes the following areas within the boundary of the National Seashore : * North End * All island interior beach habitat along the northern section of Assateague Island National Seashore (north of Assateague State Park) is closed to all entry between KM 0.5 - KM 9.5. * The island interior beach habitats between KM 21.8 - 22.8 and 23.5 - 24.5 of the MD OSV Zone are closed to all entry. This includes habitat from the existing OSV boundary west to the vegetated shrub line.
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Nearby Trails
Frequently Asked
How long is Life of the Forest Trail?
Life of the Forest Trail is a 0.5-mile route with 2 feet of elevation gain — easy — gentle grades, generally suitable for families and beginners with normal fitness. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at Life of the Forest Trail?
Life of the Forest Trail is elevated boardwalk over wet ground — stays passable year-round. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Life of the Forest Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Life of the Forest Trail is in Assateague Island National Seashore, which is managed by the National Park Service. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the live NPS alerts API for this park unit. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.